Our poms do well in 3 digit humidity and heat. We have a wonderful that made a couple hundred fruit about 4 yrs ago, but they always have lots of spots from insects looking for a meal.
They got frozen to the ground in our bad freeze in Feb '21, but came right back up. Hurricanes have done the most damage to them here. They don’t like that kind of wind. D
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VERY interested in this conversation . . . of course. 
I’ll be interested in following what you are doing, @SteveThorn. Especially where fungal resistance is concerned!
My poms had a rough winter. It didn’t seem much colder than winters before, but I guess it had to have been. As a result, we are going to dig up some fatalities and replace with cutting starts of some that have done well for me. I’ll list a ‘report’ -
Purple Heart, which was a great producer last summer - is half dead. There is one main cane that looks viable. I’ll cut out others - and see what happens.
Agat, which is supposed to be very cold hardy - looked terrible. And it is so dense and thorny - I wanted it gone, anyway. So - it went bye bye.
Wonderful struggles sometimes in my front yard - and we have lost 2 in the orchard. So they are goners. The huge one out front did well this spring and is covered with buds and tiny fruits.
Maybe it’s just a difference in individuals - or a micro climate preference . . . I’m done trying to grow a Wonderful out in the orchard.
Granada - has been a winner for me. The one that is planted next to Granada, in the front of my house - is enormous . . . and has so many fruits this year! Exciting . . . but I’m not counting my chickens just yet - as the dreaded fungus will most likely take a big toll.
Nikitski Ranni is in great shape this season! I grew a young one, from a cutting - and just may put it out in the field with its ‘mom’. Also - a Hotuni Zigar cutting that is about 18" tall, an Afganski and a Salavatski, too.
I have several younger pomegranate trees that have set fruit this year. Kazake. Sumbar. A couple of others. I’ll report back later on those. Jury is still OUT. !
I cannot discount the fact that I installed a drip irrigation system a few months ago - and I believe the trees REALLY needed that. There has been a huge improvement in not only the pomegranates, but the stone fruit as well. Even the apples and pears have definitely benefitted from more regular watering.
I don’t know if this helps - but I mixed a jug of Immunox at a ratio of 1.5 oz to the gallon of H2O -
and I keep it handy, in a hand sprayer, to spray the buds, flowers and especially the calyxes of the developing fruit. I have been trying to hit them with spray after it rains - and just when I think of it every 2 weeks or so. It is impossible to get to each and every one . . . but I’m thinking that it will help keep the fungus at a minimum, perhaps. Also - pruning to a rather ‘open center’ shape and not letting them get too thick seems to help.
And when I spray the stone fruit for ‘rot’ issues - I usually hit the pomegranates at the same time. I’ve used Indar this year. And Neem. Copper, once, when dormant. - And last year I used Infuse. Pests are not an issue with the pomegranates. Japanese Beetles will burrow in some of the blooms - probably spreading the fungal spores, but we dig them out by hand when we see them.
@hambone - I’d give Salavatski and Afganski a shot.
And as I mentioned before - Granada may survive and produce for you - especially if placed in a more protected spot. It is supposedly a sport of Wonderful - which is very cold finicky . . . but my Granadas have never succumbed to cold, here. ?
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I’m always interested to hear your updates on your pomegranates. They helped me select some of mine. I think I’m about 2 or three hours south west of you so our climates are kind of similar. 
I had a lot more dieback this year too, and like you said it didn’t feel like it was colder than normal, but I guess it was. A lot of mine leafed out and then got blasted by a late cold and some didn’t make it this year.
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If anyone comes through with a cultivar that can take zone 7 winter’s and high humidity I’d be interested. I tried 3 cold hardy varieties but each had the bark split and slip off. 2have decent growth at the base below the split so I’m letting them keep at it but I don’t have high hopes for fruit from them.
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Many Pomegranate cultivars are way more cold hardy than they are late frost resistant, even the most cold hardy ones, actually some of the most cold hardy ones are more late frost sensitive than some of the less cold hardy ones.
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I’ve noticed all my die back plants always seem to have more die back from mild winters. I suspect mild winters present worse spring temp swings.
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Hi PomGranny, I’m following your stories with interest. Let us know how these kids are coming along!
My Amazing Pom is finally stating to bloom after a very slow start this spring. Salavatski is not blooming yet, but I planted it last year. It’s growing, I didn’t lose any branches even tho some of my figs died down to the ground in my eastern zone 7A (so close to 6B, just a few streets over). I’m close to Philly.
I’ve propped some Salavtaski, and am trying to plant them in a protected area, where my Florida Loquat tree survived without any protection (miracle!).
Would love to see some pictures of your pom plants!
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@Persik, @Robert, @busch83, @SteveThorn . . . and everyone else commenting on Pomegranate survival in ‘the rainforest’ climes of the east coast! Hope this is the right thread for this post. It’s not specifically about COLD - but in response to some of the comments you all have made. Sorry about the long-winded post. Once I get started - it’s hard to stop!
I list the varieties, later in my post - that have survived well here in S.E. VA - both cold and most of the humidity-related issues.
I have tons of fruit developing, and very few are showing signs of the dreaded ROT.
I am doing something a bit differently this year - which may or may NOT work longterm.
It’s an experiment . . .
- I am removing the bell-shaped (male) blossoms as soon as the others begin to swell - denoting that they have been fertilized successfully. The male blossoms almost always develop the black fungus. Try to pick up all ‘trash’ under your trees, too. Throw them out - or burn them. Don’t just toss them aside. Get them GONE!
Note: I am ‘reevaluating mulch’. I think it’s a fungus-magnet. Maybe there is a mulch that resists this. Or maybe just landscape fabric. ? It does make it easier to collect all the dropped blossoms/leaves/debris from under trees. Does it also harbor fungal spores? Don’t know.
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I keep a hand sprayer ready to go - with Immunox sometimes. Sometimes copper. I’m thinking of trying Indar, as well. Anyway . . . after a rain, or every couple of weeks - I go around and spray any blossoms, (which are finally dwindling in quantity). And I spray as many of the developing fruits as I can, especially the calyx areas. I’ve seen a definite decrease in damaged new fruit!!!
I don’t know how long this will last . . . but so far - awfully good results. -
If I see any black at the ends of my fruit - that does not reach the round bottom of the fruit - I take my clipper and cut it off to remove all of the blackened part of the calyx. This does not seem to alter the fruits’ development. And it does get rid of the infected area. Make sure you disinfect clippers before moving to next cut.
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Remove any fruit that has black which has moved from the calyx onto the body of the fruit!
This is a tough one . . . but it might keep the fungus from traveling further - to other fruits. -
Try to keep your watering consistent, if possible. Too much at one time . . . and then not enough . . . can cause fruit to split - or just not develop properly. I think that ‘good watering habits’ really give the fruit developing - its best shot. Common sense.
Mine also seem to like a layer of compost - in the fall/winter - if you can. I give them a little 10-10-10 or Tree Tone . . . but not much.
Keep all mulch and dirt away from the ‘crowns’. Poms seem very sensitive to overcrowding the area at the base of their trunks. Crown Rot and bark issues - another ‘can-o-worms’ with pomegranates. -
I continually prune to try to keep airflow through the plant. When young, this is easy. As they mature, most varieties get THICK - and you need to be aggressive! In places with low humidity - you see big thick pomegranate trees, loaded with fruit. On the east coast, and other ‘swamps’
we just have to train them to open center - open open open! This not only promotes airflow . . . but it makes it much easier to monitor fruit on the interior - and spray. -
Good Luck!
(closest emoji to a pom!)
Someone mentioned Parfianka? A no-go for me, here in VA.
Even Wonderful is ‘iffy’. Many more just can’t cut it in areas like mine . . .
Only ones I would recommend for humid climates that see temps below 35ish . . . Salavatski. Afganski. Hotuni Zigar (not mentioned too often, but great fruit!). Nikitski Ranni. Kaj Acik Anor. Possibly Kazaki (not sure about that one yet) but best for me in VA - Granada Granada Granada.
I say Granada 3X because it consistently sets the most fruit - and brings the fruit to maturity.
I don’t know why. But, that is my best variety. I’ve rooted cuttings now, and have several producing fruit. They also seem to produce fruit quickly. And the cold - as long as not prolonged below freezing . . . doesn’t seem to bother it.
I am not an expert . . . by any means! When in doubt - ask @Richard ! 
But - I’ve tried 28 different varieties - and am down to 13 ! I’ve culled out the ones that continually struggled - with no results. Or just plain CROAKED!
If you can get a tree past year 10 - (in my experience) - you have a much better shot at success.
Some are slow to set fruit. The older they get . . . the better they fare.
Again - good luck!
Here are some photos I took this week. Some of the fruit is so pretty. Hope it lasts!!!
These 2 above are Nikitski Ranni. They are green, at this point, with an almost coral calyx. Very stunning. Almost neon! I’m keeping an eye on those ‘little black dots’! Last year I did something a bit crazy . . . and went around and wiped down, with alcohol wipes (“thank you, Covid!”) any fruit I saw with these tiny black dots. !!! Seemed to work. They did not develop further.
Kaj Ack Anor’s young fruit.
This is a fruit developing on a dwarf of some kind - a little bush from a cutting that someone gave me. (Nana, maybe?) My friend did not remember the name of the variety. Anyone recognize it? Really long calyx. Tiny leaves on the bush.
This is one of the fruits with its calyx cut off. It will continue to develop without it.
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Wow very good looking fruits and trees! Congratulations! 
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There are many different pomegranate cultivars called ‘Nana’, none of the photos of their fruit that I have seen have long fruit. I have no idea what cultivar it could be, it’s probably just some unknown seedling. How high production is it? How much disease resistance does it have? What is the quality of the fruit? Is it’s fruit sour, or highly acidic? How cold hardy is it?
Actually I may have found out where the mystery dwarf variety may have originated from, supposedly nana, yet it looks different from every other nana fruit photo I have seen, see here Pomegranate, Dwarf — Green Acres Nursery & Supply
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@alanmercieca
All of your questions will have to go unanswered - for now. ! I just planted it this past fall after having it in a pot. It has tons of blooms and some fruit. I’ll let you know how it does when I get through at least one full year with it in the ground.
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Thank you for a terrific and detailed write up! This is super helpful. Please keep the updates coming!
My Pom (Angel Red, zone 7A, in the Philadelphia suburbs) had 2 blooms which fell off and then half of it started to yellow and dry. No visible insect or fungo infestations. I saw it off the dying trunks, and hope the rest will remain healthy. It’s growing well otherwise with bright green shoots.
My salavatsky Pom did ok over the winter but no flowers yet: still young.
My stem propagations are growing, planted them in the ground, and they are about 2 ft tall now.
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Would love to know where you got the Granada. I am in NC trying to grow Wonderful pom and some unnamed variety of Russian pom. Wonderful died completely and the Russian pom has produced fruit in the past but with the black rot on it. I love poms and am trying to grow them for the fruit but not very successful so far. Your post with recommendations is very needed! Thanks!
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@spittingkitten
Hi Kat. I do not recall where I got my Granada pom - but I know that Isons usually carries it. As I’ve said before . . . I’d share cuttings, but since mine show signs of fungus problems - I think it’s better not to ‘share’.
I am in the Va Beach area of VA and have had my Wonderful die back one time during its life. It came back - but it means waiting each time for it to mature enough to fruit. There is ‘another’ variety out there called ‘Early Wonderful’ . . . (but it could simply be a Granada, under a different name.) I don’t know what the diff in winter temps are - between your area and mine . . . but I do know that the ocean keeps things warmer here than areas inland.
My first pomegranate tree took years and years to even flower! I’d given up completely, when one year - it had blossoms and set fruit. The newer plants I’ve tried are quicker to produce both blossoms and fruit.
Get yourself some Spectracide “Immunox”. You can find it at Lowes or Home Depot - or order it online. Keep a little hand sprayer handy . . . and when you see blossoms - give them a shot. This has produced the best results for me. Then . . . every couple of weeks - and especially after a rain - do it again. THAT is where the fungus starts - in the flowers.
With this plan in place - this is a picture I took yesterday. Many many fruits are fungus-free so far. 
Read all the posts in the ‘Pomegranate Success in Mid-Atlantic’ thread. A lot of repetition - but I started that thread back in 2017, I think . . . . before things went downhill with fungus, for me.
Wonderful - July2022 - (20-ish years old)
Granada - July2022 - fruit is farther along. These won’t be ripe till the fall.
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Merry Christmas everyone! 
I have probably 30 seedlings that have survived the first year and are looking good.
One interesting observation that I was surprised about was how much the pomegranates liked water. I didn’t water these at all, and had more that I expected to not make it through some of our very hot and dry summer. I planted them in a very well draining area, but if I do it again I would plant them in a normal area and mulch them well. I thought pomegranates in general would have had more of a natural drought tolerance. These seedlings should have very high heat and drought tolerance though as a result of the conditions they were selected in.
For cold hardiness, we should have a good test on that due to the recent weather. We have had weather in the low teens and barely got above freezing yesterday and will dip down into the teens tonight and maybe a few other times this week. Then next week the highs are almost 70 degrees, I hope they don’t start to leaf out.
I’m planning to transplant them this Spring to give them more room and a better location, so excited to see how they do in the upcoming year!
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Actually, only some cultivars overwinter fine here. Over half the varieties I’ve tried get excessive winter die back some years. Yes, they resprout, but that’s not good enough for production.
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It’s early March and we’ve had one of the earliest and longest stretches of hot weather that I can remember. For the last 3 weeks we’ve had sunny weather into the upper 70s, and now of course it looks like we will be going down below freezing again this week.
I’ve seen quite a bit of variation in the leaf out time (chill hours) in the seedlings so far. I’d say about 80% have already leafed out, but about 20% are still completely dormant. I’m very excited to see such a good number of the seedlings with apparently higher chill hours in the first generation. Also a majority of the ones still dormant appear to be the more healthier (thicker stems) and more vigorous growers.
I’m planning to mark the seedlings with a string or maybe colored yarn based on their leaf out time. I think tags will be too big and bulky. Anyone have any other ideas for a quick and easy way to mark the small seedlings.
Excited to see how these seedlings do with the upcoming waether and hoping for some good results!
Here is a photo showing the difference between ones leafing and and those still dormant.
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I tried to use yarn to color code frost damage on my avocados last spring, and it worked pretty well, but something stole a few of them, I’m guessing nesting birds or curious crows. So tie them well! I mostly use green garden tape marked with sharpie as my preferred temporary marker.
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I’m glad you mentioned the birds, hadn’t thought of that. I have seen their nests here filled with odd bits of trash, so that makes sense. Thanks!
Note to future self:
-Tie a firm one loop knot so that it should be firm but able to expand with the growing seedling.
-Make the piece of yarn as short as possible (hopefully less attractive to the critters)
-Color code:
Green for very high chill and the last ones to break dormancy.
Purple (was thinking of using yellow but seems like it may fade easily) for some buds remaining dormant even if a few buds have started leafing out.
Red for most or all of the buds have already broken dormancy.
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